The arrival of the future is inevitable, as our concept of time seems to be steadily advancing in a linear path. The unforgiving fact about time is that it waits for no one, and soon, we will all have to face our unavoidable forthcomings. Four years of high school go by faster than one may initially think, and as students become aware of this, one persistent question silently spirals: where do North Atlanta students see themselves 10 years from now?

Heading into the unknown brings about anxieties and worries about what awaits students’ lives in the future. Although thinking about the future with no set plan in mind can be overwhelming, students, being cognizant of this, have framed a mental plan about what path they want their life to follow. Lily Holt, a Junior here at North Atlanta, has loosely formulated her envisionment following the next 10 years. “In 10 years from now when I’m 26, I envision myself having graduated college and having a cool job as an environmental engineer, which is something I’m passionate about,” said Holt. “I would want to live in an urban environment, such as DC, and I would for sure say I see myself growing a couple of inches taller — fingers crossed —, and becoming far more confident in myself and my self-interests.”

Although no one really knows what their future will entail, students seem to have a general idea of the direction they’re headed in. They are acknowledging their interests and strengths and using them to their advantage, wanting to go down a road of self-pursuit. Sophomore Gabrielle Monplaisir has high hopes for a prosperous future. “[in 10 years] I imagine I will have launched my business by then, have had acting coaches and agents, and landed gigs in the acting industry, possibly even pursuing a degree in acting or science as a major,” said Monplaisir. “I hope to be living somewhere where both my family and my job are closely accessible to each other. I want to overall gain more wisdom and knowledge, hopefully by being happily situated with a special person in my life and surrounded by those with similar interests.”

It is not uncommon for some students to be at a complete loss when any mention of their future is involved. They may have self-interests and personal hobbies they occupy themselves with, but when it comes to foreseeing the future, it can be tough to insert yourself into a lifestyle when you have no idea what you yearn for from life. For example, sophomore Jailyn Davis feels conflicted when it comes to her future. “I’m not sure where I want to be 10 years from now,” she said. “I mean, sure there are things I’m involved in currently, but can I really see myself turning that into a living? I mean, heck, I can barely even decide whether or not I want to go into IBCP or IBDP next year, how am I supposed to decide on what I want to pursue as a career? I hope that with time I’ll eventually find something, but as of now it’s still a blur.”

No one can deny the fact that the future and the events it holds are certainly unpredictable. Nothing is guaranteed, and that alone can be a frightening plight. Deciding what profession you want to pursue in the future, and the possibility of it backfiring holds people back or even kills their hopes of succeeding. It’s okay to fear uncertainty. But even just by having a small mental note of where you want to see yourself 10 years from now, you can start making the necessary decisions to form your awaited reality. Yes, nothing is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get a say in your own future.